Not for researchers only - Journal of Leisure Research

The Journal of Leisure Research, published quarterly by NRPA, is for researchers only, right? Wrong. The journal provides one useful way for researchers to communicate with one another, but the journal is by no means only for researchers. Practitioners, students, educators, and anyone interested in leisure behavior can learn from this journal.

The Journal of Leisure Research has been in publication for over 25 years and is considered prestigious in the leisure research field. Only about one-third of the papers submitted are accepted for publication, and all papers must go through a blind review process before being accepted. Dr. Peter Witt of Texas A&M University is the current editor, and he follows a long line of distinguished individuals who have guided the publication over the years.

The journal's purpose is to report quality research about leisure behavior. The research conducted to address recreation and leisure behavior issues can result in new ideas and better ways to accomplish professional goals. This research, however, is not always applicable immediately; sometimes a series of research studies are undertaken before the results can be applied directly to the park, recreation, and tourism fields. Nevertheless, each piece of research published in the journal has the potential to help members of our profession better understand our society and improve the leisure services profession.

Many NRPA members can't read every article in the journal, due to time and other constraints. During 1993, however, several articles have been featured that may be of particular interest.

Wildland-Urban Interface

The wildland-urban interface has received increasing attention in the past several years. The interface addresses the growing connection between recreation user behaviors, cultural values, individual expectations, and resource-use conflicts (Ewert, 1993). For example, Floyd and Gramman (1993) found that it is misleading to assume that all Mexican-Americans are alike in their preferences for outdoor areas. In fact, their preferences are not much different than Anglo-Americans. These researchers found that the amount of acculturation and structural assimilation (in other words, how much Mexican-Americans have adopted the Anglo culture) affected their involvement on lands. The research results suggest that there still is much to be learned about different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups groups and how they use recreation. All members of our profession can learn a lesson from this research: Recreation professionals cannot make blanket generalizations or assumptions about their customers based on their cultural heritage.

Carr and Williams (1993) showed the need for two-way dialogue between participants and managers to understand the best way to manage for recreation opportunities. Heywood (1993) also confirmed the need for managers to understand the expectations of various user groups if the outdoor situation is to be most conducive to a positive recreation experience.

Mobily and his colleagues (1993) examined the concept of leisure repertoire by surveying elderly individuals about their exercise activities, perceived competence, and intrinsic leisure motivation. Leisure repertoire was defined as a collection of activities capable of producing perceptions of competence and psychological comfort. In other words, what people do often for their leisure, they will do well; and vice versa. These researchers found that correlations between the exercise behaviors and competence supported the leisure repretoire construct.

The implications for this research to practitioners relate to leisure education. Educators needs to see that students understand that people develop their repertoire of activities over the course of their lifetime and modify them as they age and their abilities change. Activities like walking, gardening, knitting, and doing yard work may not be perceived as leisure by younger people; but they are important to an elderly person's repertoire and should be acknowledged.

Searle, Mactavish, and Brayley (1993) addressed the pattern of recreation cessation among adults using four categories: quitter, replacer, adder, and continuer. They concluded that the greater one's leisure participation, the higher one's feelings of leisure satisfaction. Further, the more positive one's level of leisure attitude, the more likely an individual would be described as a "replacer" or "adder." Their data indicated that as one ages, he or she is more likely to participate less and/or choose fewer active recreation activities and derive less satisfaction from recreation activities they may have enjoyed earlier in life. The authors say these conclusions suggest the potential for leisure education programs that increase awareness, knowledge, and skills concerning the changing leisure values and attitudes throughout life.

Adolescents' Participation

Hultsman (1993a) explored the influence of others as a barrier to the activity participation of adolescents. She surveyed fifth--eighth graders and found that parental influence was most salient in determining whether or not a youngster will begin a recreation activity. She concluded that from a marketing perspective, mothers may be the most important influence on young people. As adolescents get older, the influence of parents decreases, although other influences were not consistent among adolescents. Hultsman raised some concerns about whether parental influence is always positive when parents may discourage students from participating in recreation activities.

In a second study, Hultsman (1993b) found that for early adolescents (aged 10-15) the constraints most commonly mentioned for not starting a new activity were: no way to get to the activities, the cost of activity, not being able to make activity meeting times, parental influence, and the perception of one's skill level. Not liking the leader and not liking the rules were identified most frequently as reasons why adolescents stopped participating in recreation activities.

Alcohol and Leisure

Carruthers (1993) analyzed the relationships between leisure and alcohol consumption. She obtained data from a community sample of individuals though a mail questionnaire and found that individuals expect that drinking will enhance their leisure experiences. Some individuals use alcohol to enhance an already enjoyable experience, but others rely on alcohol for the enjoyment of leisure. Leisure service practitioners need to understand further the role alcohol plays in people's leisure, that some people may not participate in certain activities in which alcohol is involved, while others may not participate if alcohol is not available.

Research Affects Us All

Research helps professionals understand leisure and recreation behavior better. And this understanding can help justify programs and lead to the development of new and better programs.

The hallmark of a profession is the body of knowledge that it possesses. And our profession possesses a great body of knowledge, indeed. It is up to all of us as individual professionals to use this knowledge to design better programs and educate future practitioners who can serve the field well and contribute to the knowledge of the future.

The Journal of Leisure Research is available by subscription from NRPA.

References

Carr, D.S., & Williams, D.R. (1993). Understanding the role of ethnicity in outdoor recreation experiences. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(1), 22-38.

Carruthers, C.P. (1993). Leisure and alcohol expectancies. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(3), 229-244.

Ewert, A.W. (1993). The wildland-urban interface: Introduction and overview. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(1), 1-5.

Floyd, M.F., & Gramman, J.H. (1993). Effects of acculturation and structural assimilation in resource-based recreation: The case of Mexican-Americans. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(1), 6-21.

Heywood, J.L. (1993). Behavioral conventions in higher density, day use wildland/urban recreation settings: A preliminary case study. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(1), 39-52.

Hultsman, W.Z. (1993a). The influence of others as a barrier to recreation participation among early adolescents. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(2), 150-164.

Hultsman, W.Z. (1993b). Is constrained leisure an internally homogeneous concept? An extension. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(4), 319-334.

Searle, M.S., Mactavish, J.B., & Brayley, R.E. (1993). Integrating ceasing participation with other aspects of leisure behavior: A replication and extension. Journal of Leisure Research, 25(4), 389-404.

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